Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

वासितैर्वारिभिर्विप्रा रामेश्वरमहेश्वरम् । अभिषिच्य महद्भिश्च पातकैः स विमुच्यते

Transliteration

vāsitairvāribhirviprā rāmeśvaramaheśvaram | abhiṣicya mahadbhiśca pātakaiḥ sa vimucyate

Translation

Ô brāhmaṇas, en accomplissant l’abhiṣeka de Rāmeśvara—Maheśvara—avec des eaux parfumées, l’homme est délivré même des grands péchés.

Word by Word

• वासितैः: with scented
• वासितैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वास् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• वारिभिः: waters
• वारिभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas / brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• रामेश्वरमहेश्वरम्: Rāmeśvara, the Great Lord (Śiva)
• रामेश्वरमहेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामेश्वर + महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—रामेश्वरः (यः) महेश्वरः (कर्मधारय)

• अभिषिच्य: having anointed/sprinkled
• अभिषिच्य: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √सिच् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• महद्भिः: great
• महद्भिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• पातकैः: from sins
• पातकैः: Apādāna (Ablative sense/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण) / पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान) बहुवचन (प्रयोगेऽत्र अपादानार्थः—"from sins")

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• विमुच्यते: is released/freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the Ṛṣis (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rāmeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside the Rāmeśvara shrine: priests pour perfumed water from kalaśas over the Śiva-liṅga; garlands and bilva leaves adorn; devotees stand with folded hands, seeking release from heavy sins.

Characters & Entities

• Rāmeśvara
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Setu (Rāmeśvaram)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional abhiṣeka to Śiva at a mahātīrtha is portrayed as a potent purificatory act that dissolves even grave wrongdoing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rāmeśvara at Setu (Rāmeśvaram).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka (ritual bathing/anointing) of Rāmeśvara with perfumed water.